15 Gross Facts You Didn't Know About Processed Meats

Need-to-know info right here

By definition, processed meat has been altered somewhere between the farm and the factory—maybe the animals were fed additives, the meat was packed with preservatives to give it a longer shelf life, or the color and texture were tweaked to make the end product tastier and more appealing. But even if you think you're cool with this—it's the price you pay for the occasional juicy hot dog or bacon cheeseburger, right?—you might be very disturbed by the disgusting process that turns a living animal into a neatly shaped patty or sausage. That's the takeaway from a stomach-churning BuzzFeed video making the rounds today.

Among the nasty facts revealed:

1. It's totally legal for rat hair to be in your burger or beef taco: The FDA says it's OK to have four rodent hairs per 100 grams of processed food.

2. Chicken nuggets and hot dogs are poured into molds from liquefied meat.

4. In the past, about 70 percent of poultry in this country has been fed arsenic-based drugs.

Check out the clip for all 15 facts (because it's always good to know what's in your food and the health risks associated with consuming it).

Fair warning: It'll definitely make you think twice about buying any animal product that isn't 100 percent organic. If the video makes you feel like going vegan (at least for the rest of the day), check out the four best meat substitutes.